Top Three Kettlebell Lifts for Runners

Cross-training is a powerful weapon in the fight against muscular imbalances and injuries for any sport.  Runners face the additional challenge of very repetitious, high impact specific training (the longer the running event distance, the greater this challenge becomes), so cross-training is particularly important in any running program.

There are many kettlebell lifts that can effectively supplement running training to help prevent injuries and increase work capacity.  When building up to running competitions or events these lifts obviously fit best in the preparatory phase of training and would be phased out during the competitive phase.  For those who are really keen on the bells, kettlebell sport could be an option for the transition phase.

The three kettlebell specific lifts that have the most bang for buck for runners of any sort are:

• The swing
• The clean
• The jerk (alternatively the push press)

The snatch could certainly be included in the list of best kettlebell lifts for runners, but because it is without doubt the most technical of all the kettlebell specific lifts it is less accessible and many of the benefits of the snatch can be obtained from the swing and from the combination of clean and jerk (or push press).

*** Note: Links to detailed articles on each lift provided for more information on technique***

The Swing

The swing is arguably the best supplementary kettlebell lift for runners, providing power endurance work for the posterior chain which is exactly what running requires.  Swings work the muscles that support knee and hip joints, as well as the core, helping to protect the joints that runners often get injuries in and ironing out muscular imbalances in the lower body.

Any form of swing will have desirable cross-training benefits for running, however the one arm swing or kettlebell sport swing (or even alternating swing if grip is an issue) will have greater effects on the upper back and core, working the muscles that support good running posture.

The Clean

The clean shares many of properties of the swing, as it is a swing based lift.  The clean, however, affords the opportunity of a rest position (rack).  Having a rest position built into the lift enables pacing to be manipulated, and reduces stress on the grip, so the clean can be used for longer set duration.

The Jerk/ Push Press

The jerk and push press are anterior chain driven movements, so provide balance to the stress placed on the posterior chain when running.  These lifts also include an overhead component, working the shoulder and upper back, again helping the muscles involved in maintaining good running posture and using muscles that get neglected somewhat in a lower body dominated sport.

The jerk is a more ballistic lift, requiring greater power production from the legs, more calf work and increased demands on core stabilisation (all very beneficial to runners) compared with the push press.  The push press is the less technical option and the preferred lift in those with increased risk of stress fractures as it doesn't involve as heel strike as the jerk does.

The dip in the push press and first dip in the jerk help maintain, and can improve, ankle flexibility by stretching the achilles and soleus (however you do need to begin with an adequate ankle ROM in order to be able to perform this movement safely).  This dip also requires an eccentric contraction of the soleus muscle, helping strengthen it and, in turn, helping to protect the knee joint.  The action of the dip for push press or first dip for jerk is not commonly performed under load, so these kettlebell lifts provide a unique opportunity for runners' cross-training.

A Combination

A combination of clean and jerk or clean and push press ("long cycle" variations of jerk or push press) will obviously give runners all of the benefits of the individual lifts involved as well as balancing each other out (pulling vs pushing, posterior chain vs anterior chain etc), working the entire body and, if performed with a challenging weight at a challenging pace, have very high cardiorespiratory demands: perfect GPP for runners to increase work capacity.

Programming

Running technique and lactate threshold are key factors in your running performance.  If you are just getting started improving your VO2max will make a big difference.  However, in WELL trained athletes lactate threshold is a better predictor of performance than VO2max.  The demands of kettlebell training on the CV system using the above lifts appropriately will not be too dissimilar to that of running (the kettlebell lifts may be slightly more anaerobic).  Additionally, the strength gained with your kettlebell training should help improve your running economy.  Kettlebell training can be effectively used with long sets, short set and complexes.

Long sets: During a longer set (6 + minutes) your pacing strategy should allow you to constantly perform a rep cadence (obviously this applies to cleans, jerks, push presses and long cycle variations - swings don't have a rest position so altering pace isn't really an option however frequent hand switches could be used to increase the length of time you are able to swing for).  With a constant pace you will generally sit on or slightly above your lactate threshold.  This is great for general fitness and specific energy system training.

Short sets: Allow you to perform higher intensity efforts.  This results in you training above your lactate threshold.  Training above your threshold by useful because it should allow your body to generate and clear larger amounts of anaerobic by products. This will in turn help raise your lactate threshold.

Complexes: A complex is a circuit with the same piece of equipment.  An example of this would be: 5 swings, 5 cleans, 5 push press and 5 jerks. Changing exercise frequently allows you to fatigue an area then move to a relatively ‘fresh’ one.  This helps maintain the demand on the central nervous system, heart and lungs, whilst rotating between different muscle groups.

***Huge thanks to Iron Edge workshop instructor James Ross for his input on this article.  James is currently doing his second masters degree in exercise science, his first had a focus on strength and conditioning while his second one has a focus on the kettlebell snatch, so his expertise on applying kettlebell lifts to running programming was especially valuable.****